2011 01-23 “A STUDY IN CONTRASTS” MATTHEW 2:1-12

I. Introduction
“The Bible is filled with contradictions.” Have you ever heard anyone say that? If so, have you ever asked them if they could give you an example of one? Chances are pretty good they couldn’t. But if they could, it’s likely that the presumed contradiction would be based on a false or erroneous assumption. Or it might be based on the fact that other languages explain things differently. Or it might have its basis in something that has been taken completely out of context.

Let’s say you lead your neighbor’s son to the Lord. You send an email to a friend telling him about it. Naturally, you refer to the new Christian as your neighbor’s son. That’s the truth. He is your neighbor’s son. Then sometime later you send your friend another email and in it you speak of the one you led to Christ as your spiritual son. Spiritually speaking, he is. It’s not a contradiction at all. It is a truth based on the use of biblical terminology and an understanding of your statement in its proper context.

What people often call contradictions are really nothing more than misunderstood com-parisons or contrasting points of view. And while the Bible is not filled with contradic-tions, it is most certainly filled with comparisons and contrasts. In fact, The Book of Proverbs is nearly all comparisons and contrasts. It speaks of things like righteousness as opposed to wickedness and the value of wisdom over foolishness. Furthermore, it gives scores of examples of what it is to live a godly life instead of a sinful one.

The whole Bible compares and contrasts things like good and evil, faith and doubt, joy and sorrow, courage and cowardice, truth and lies, love and hate, pride and humility, life and death, and heaven and hell.

Last week we heard Simeon’s words to Mary when she and Joseph brought the Baby Jesus to the temple to dedicate Him to God. He told Mary that Jesus would reveal the true condition of the human heart. People would either be for Jesus or against Him.

There is no such thing as neutrality when it comes to Jesus. You do not come face to face with Jesus Christ and remain the same. He demands a decision, one way or the other. You either put your faith in Jesus or you don’t. You are either saved or you are lost. There is no maybe. There is no fence to sit on. There is no middle ground to take. When it comes to Jesus Christ there is only yes or no.
Matthew 12:30a
30a “He who is not with Me is against Me…”

This is a black and white statement. There’s no gray area in it at all. Today’s text will show us as clear a contrast as there is to be found anywhere in Holy Scripture.
Listen, Jesus Christ will be loved and worshipped or He will be hated and reviled.
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II. Text
When we began this study back in September I said that we would periodically step out-side of Luke’s gospel to clarify some doctrinal truth, or to take the time to develop some thought further than Luke does, or to fill in a blank that one of the other gospel writers may expand upon. This morning’s sermon is our first such excursion.

Take a look at the “white space” in your Bible between Luke 2:38-39. There may be as much as two years between those two verses. It’s Matthew who tells us about that time.
*Matthew 2:1-12 (Please stand with me in honor of reading God’s Word.)
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.”
3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet,
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler, who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and make careful search for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, that I may come and worship Him.”
9 And having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was.
10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way.

Where Luke wrote his gospel to the Greeks to give them an accurate and detailed account of the life of Christ, Matthew addressed his to a Jewish audience. He wanted the Jews to understand that Jesus had fulfilled the OT prophecies and was in fact their Messiah.
Here are four of those prophecies. First, Micah said the Messiah would be born in Beth- lehem (Micah 5:2). Second, Hosea said the Messiah would be called out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1). Third, Jeremiah said that, because of the Messiah’s presence, there would be weeping in Ramah (Jeremiah 31:15). Fourth, Isaiah said the Messiah would be called a Nazarene (Isaiah 11:1). How could all of those things be true of one person? On the sur- face of it the four prophecies seem to contradict each other and be impossible to fulfill.

The fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy about the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem is obvious.
*Matthew 2:1-2
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.”

When did all of this take place? It was when Herod was king. Secular historians refer to him as “Herod the Great.” The Roman Senate had placed him in power in 40 B.C. He loved his power and was ruthless in his quest to keep it. He was cruel, exhibited fits of rage, and killed anyone who opposed him. He even had one of his wives and two of his sons murdered. The Jewish historian Josephus says that Herod died shortly after a lunar eclipse in the spring of 4 B.C. So we know that Jesus was born sometime before that.

Just who were the Magi? There has always been much speculation as to their identities. Scripture tells us they were from the east. It tells us they had found their way to Jeru-salem, and then to Bethlehem, by following a star. It tells us it was their intent to wor-ship the King of the Jews. Finally it tells us that, when they found Him, they gave Him expensive gifts and worshipped Him. That’s really all we know of them.

Many believe that they were astrologers who came from Babylon (modern-day Iraq) where Daniel and the Jews had been in captivity some five hundred years earlier. It is logical to assume that wherever there had been large populations of Jews there would have also been numerous copies of the OT. Had those Scriptures been studied by the Maji, they would have been aware of many messianic prophecies. For example…
Numbers 24:17
17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star shall come forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel…”

Since the first century many traditions have arisen about them. The idea that they were three in number probably came about because of the three gifts that were given to Jesus. Tradition built upon tradition and by the sixth century they were given names, Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar. Our own Christmas traditions have them worshipping the Baby Jesus at the manger, but of course they were never there. They didn’t arrive in Bethle-hem until many months, or even as long as two years, after He was born. By that time Joseph and Mary would have been married and were living in a house.

As to the origin of the star and what it actually was, no one is sure. Centuries of astrono-mical data and research have produced a variety of theories. One of the more common scientific theories is that a one-time conjunction of stars and planets produced the event that we now call the “Star of Bethlehem.” Another possibility, more theological than astronomical, is that the so-called star was nothing less than a manifestation of the “shekinah,” the visible glory of God. We just don’t know.

But this we do know. The last part of Matthew 1:2 says, “We have come to worship Him.” Now this is we can relate to and this we can understand. So take a moment and ask yourself why you came to church this morning.
• Did you come to sing and pray and hear a message from God’s Word?
• Did you come to remove yourself from the world and have your soul refreshed?
• Did you come to enjoy a good time of fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ?
I hope your answer to all three of those questions is a resounding, “Yes”! But the real question is this:
• Did you come to worship the King?

In the next verses we begin to see the great contrast between the Maji and Herod.
*Matthew 2:3
3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Many years ago Ginny and I received one of my all-time favorite Christmas cards. The cover had a picture of the Maji astride camels crossing the desert and following the star. There’s nothing special about that, is there? But inside the card was a profound message. It simply said, “Wise men still seek Him.” I like that.

But Herod was troubled. The word “troubled” in v. 3 is translated from the Greek is “tarassō.” It means “stirred up and agitated.” The arrival of the Maji did just that. It really caused a disturbance. What’s different today? Imagine that a group of wealthy foreigners showed up in Lake Geneva with the expressed purpose of being in town “to worship Jesus Christ.” Do you think that would cause a bit of a stir?

Scripture doesn’t tell us how long it took for Herod to decide what to do, but I suspect it wasn’t long at all. This man ruled with an iron fist because he had to. The Jews knew he didn’t belong on David’s throne because he was an Idumean, not a Jew. As such they resented him and he knew it. Now he hears that a rightful heir to David’s throne, a real King of the Jews, has been born, and he doesn’t like it.

The Maji plan to worship the King. Herod plans to kill him. Isn’t that amazing? Jesus has just come into this world. He is just a baby. He has said nothing. He has done nothing. Yet Jesus’ very presence brings out the great contrast in the human race.
Some are overwhelmed with love and a desire to worship Him. But many are given over to hate and want only to be rid of Him. So Herod plots and schemes.
*Matthew 2:4-6
4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet,
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler, who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

The chief priests were the Pharisees and Sadducees. The former were similar to today’s right-wing legalists. The latter were more like today’s left-wing liberals. They didn’t like each other but they both knew about the OT prophecies, and they accepted them as being accurate. The Prophet Micah had said that the Messiah would “go forth” from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). This is what Matthew quotes in v. 6.

Isn’t it interesting that these very same religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, would come to hate Jesus and be the very ones who, thirty years in the future, would plot His murder? Remember that Jesus spoke Truth and completely upset their system of religious laws and requirements and their subsequent control over the people. So just like Herod, who feared losing his political power and authority to Jesus, the Pharisees and Sadducees would come to fear losing their religious power and authority to Jesus.

Does this help you to see why Truth is the enemy of the worlds’ systems? Does it help to explain why the world seems to welcome talk of God, so long as He isn’t identified as Jesus Christ?
*Matthew 2:7-8
7 Then Herod secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and make careful search for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, that I may come and worship Him.”

Not only is Herod evil, he is cunning and shrewd. More than that, he is afraid. But he is not about to give up his throne without a fight. He is convinced (as are most of the Jews) that the Messiah would grow up to become a powerful political and military leader like Alexander the Great. So Herod would take no chances. He needs to know where and precisely when the Child was born.

Apparently the Maji had no reason to doubt Herod’s words to them. “…when you have found Him, report to me, that I may come and worship Him.” It’s easy for us to see the false humility and utter hypocrisy in that statement. But we know the rest of the story.
However, doesn’t it seem strange to you that Herod would not have gone with the Maji, or at least have sent someone he trusted to go with them to Bethlehem? Theologian Donald A. Carson, in his commentary on Matthew’s gospel, addresses it this way.
“Conscious of his (successful deception), Herod sent no escort with them. This was not ‘absurdly trusting,’ since the deception depended upon winning the Maji’s confidence. Herod could scarcely have been expected to foresee God’s intervention (in v. 12).”

So Herod is working a con. But what about the Pharisees and the Sadducees? These guys are the religious leaders of Israel. They claim to believe their Scriptures. Or at the very least, they accept them intellectually. If their Scriptures are true, then their long-awaited Messiah is not more than six miles away in Bethlehem. But none of them bother to go and see.

How many professing Christians are like that? They do their religious thing, whatever it may be, but they have no interest in meeting Jesus face to face – none at all. And they certainly have no intention of worshipping Him. Well, that’s not the Maji’s problem.
*Matthew 2:9-10
9 And having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was.
10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

Matthew is not trying to describe the star and/or its movements in scientific terms. I doubt that he cares. He’s simply telling us what the Maji saw. Think about it. When we travel at night the stars seem to go right along with us. When we stop, they stop. In any case we need to take the Scripture at its word. In v. 9 Matthew says, “…the star…went on before them, until it stood over where the Child was.”

The Greek literally says this: “…until, having arrived, it stood still over where was the little Child.” They followed it. It didn’t go along with them. So whatever the explana-tion, astronomical or theological, the Star of Bethlehem was a supernatural event.

As we look at v. 10 consider the contrast between the responses of Herod and the Maji. Herod responds with fear, anger, hatred, and a plan to murder hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent children. The Maji respond with great joy, and a desire to worship.

To say that Jesus brings out the best and the worst in people is hardly an exaggeration, is it? I think this world makes a whole lot more sense when you come to understand that fundamental truth.
*Matthew 2:11-12
11 And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way.

These wise men encountered Jesus and they worshipped Him. Period! They literally cast themselves on the ground and worshipped. There is no innuendo in the statement. There is nothing hidden and there is nothing that requires deep thought or study. Yet could there be a more profound lesson for you and me?

And let’s be clear as to Whom they worship. If there were ever a place or a time when “Mary worship” would be appropriate, it’s here and now. But there’s nothing like that. J. Vernon McGee once said the Maji didn’t worship her because they were “wise men.”

Now notice what their worship includes. They present the Child with three of the most precious and expensive treasures that existed in that day. They honor Him by giving Him the very best that they can. The question for us is obvious, isn’t it? Are you and I doing that? Are you and I giving Jesus the very best that we have?

And let’s be clear. I’m not just speaking about money. Certainly that’s part of what we are to give God, but what He really wants is us. What are we giving of ourselves to Him, to His people, and to those around us. That’s the issue. Are you giving Him your best?

Now from Ginny’s and my standpoint, I can report that, as a body of believers, you are doing a wonderful job of giving your best. The manner in which you have cared for us these last two weeks is a beautiful thing. What can we say? I believe that the writer of Hebrews says it as well as it can be said.
Hebrews 6:10
10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. (back to Matthew 2:11)

Not only are the Maji’s gifts valuable, they have great symbolic meaning as well.
• Gold was symbolic of royalty and deity. It was the most precious of metals and it’s a reminder of Jesus’ Kingship and His membership in the Trinity.
• Frankincense (literally, “pure incense”) was symbolic of divinity and service to God. When burned it produced a sweet savor. It’s a reminder of Jesus’ purity.
• Myrhh was symbolic of suffering and death. It was often used as a perfume for garments, or a bed, or preparing a body for burial. It’s a reminder of Jesus’ death.

In gold we see just who Jesus really is. In frankincense we see His sinless life. In myrhh we see His sacrificial death.

But there’s one other thing about the gifts of which we should take note. All of this wor-ship and all of these gifts come from Gentiles. This Child is the Jewish Messiah and, as a nation, the Jews have no interest in Him. As a nation, they still have no interest in Him.
But in thirty years, when He challenges them, they will conspire to kill Him. However, even in this we see the sovereign plan of God. Jesus had to come “…to the Jew first…”
John 1:11-13
11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Only after God’s chosen people rejected their Messiah did the gospel go to the Gentiles.
Romans 1:16
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salva-tion to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Gentile).

Finally, Matthew 2:12 tells that, by God’s intervention, the Maji did not return to Herod in Jerusalem, but left Bethlehem by a different route. Would I be reading too much into it if I said that they had met Jesus and their lives took a different direction? Maybe…but then again, maybe not.
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III. Conclusion
Earlier I pointed out what many skeptics believed was a series of contradictions, four OT prophecies about from where the King of the Jews would come. Remember? Micah said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. However, Hosea said the Messiah would be called out of Egypt. Jeremiah said that, because of the Messiah’s presence, there would be weeping in Ramah. And Isaiah said the Messiah would be called a Nazarene.

The skeptic says, “Since all of those things could not possibly be true of one man, it is quite obvious that your Scriptures contradict themselves again and again.”

How could all of those things be true of one person? Here’s how! In Matthew 2:13-15 we see that Joseph took his young family to Egypt to avoid the slaughter of the innocents by Herod. After Herod’s death they returned. Therefore…
*Matthew 2:15
15 …that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “Out of Egypt did I call My Son.”

Jesus, Joseph, and Mary did avoid the slaughter but many did not. In Matthew 2:16-18 we see the horror of it all. Ramah was a village just north of Jerusalem that must have been particularly hard hit by the unspeakable cruelty.
*Matthew 2:18
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.”
Finally, in Matthew 2:22-23 we see how Jesus became a Nazarene and why He became know as “Jesus of Nazareth.”
*Matthew 2:23
23 and (the family) came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

So there you have it – a sovereign God and a perfect Scripture. While there are some things we may not fully understand, there are no contradictions. But God uses contrasts and comparisons again and again to teach us His great truths. Today we’ve looked at one of those contrasts.

We have seen the stark contrast between people who love the Lord Jesus Christ and people who hate Him. Where do you stand today? It is my fervent prayer that each and every one of you love Him above all else. Be like the Maji. Worship Him and give Him the best that you have.

~ Pray ~